


You Who Came From the Stars

by 0bviousLeigh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, looking forward to the future together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 18:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8677651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0bviousLeigh/pseuds/0bviousLeigh
Summary: Astral looks like he's covered in stars.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the Korean drama of the same name, and inspired by it a little bit.

When the group lands, it’s on an unfamiliar beach, in a world that Yuma has only seen through a lens of panic and impending loss. Even then, Yuma recognizes Astral world. He also knows that the clouds rolling in are not good.

Yuma turns away from the clouds and searches the beach. “Where is he?” He mutters.

As if on cue, that voice Yuma knows so well calls, “Glad you made it.”

Yuma turns. There he is, in all his jerk-faced glory, standing with his arms folded on top of what looks like a sand dune.

“ASTRAL!” Yuma screams, his heart soaring. He breaks away from the group and runs up the dune. Astral meets him halfway, but Astral was not prepared for Yuma launching himself forward and all but tackling him. Astral wraps his arms around Yuma’s waist, but gravity works on Astral world the same way it does on Earth. The two of them fall back, and they slide the rest of the way down the dune. Yuma rolls over and sits up, wiping sand from his face, one hand still on Astral’s shoulder.

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” Yuma asks, looking down at Astral.

“That is a figure of speech, isn’t it?” Astral asks, and he’s smirking, the absolute rascal, and still lying in the sand.

“It is,” Yuma says. Astral world’s sand isn’t like Earth’s. It’s soft, but it glitters like diamonds. There’s sand in Astral’s hair and on his face, and between that and the sand under him…he looks like he’s covered in stars and floating in space.

Distantly, Yuma hears someone calling to him. Something about saving the world. Yuma honestly, truly, doesn’t care who it is, what they’re saying, or even if they’re watching. His whole world has narrowed to Astral, lying in a pile of stars and grinning up at Yuma. Yuma has gone from sharing every moment in his life with Astral to not having a word from him at all for the second time since they met.

“I missed you,” Yuma admits. Something that, when he first met Astral, he never imagined he’d say. As much as he missed Astral, the silence and sudden reunion are giving him whiplash. “Why now?”

“It’s not like I have a phone,” Astral says. “And I was weakened from traveling back. I finally got my strength back, and before I could even think about reaching out to you to see how you were, well…” he sits up and gestures to the clouds. “That happened.”

Yuma looks at the black sky and the lightning coming from the clouds. It’s terrifying, honestly, but he’s not done taking jabs at Astral yet. “Doesn’t look like much,” he says. He looks back at Astral. “Did you honestly need the cavalry on this one?”

“Cavalry?” Astral repeats, “Maybe not. But you? Absolutely.”

“You’re terrible,” Yuma scoffs, not that he means it. He puts an arm over Astral’s shoulders. “This time, when we save the world, don’t go disappearing on me for months after. Got it?”

Astral nods. “You have my word.”

“Good,” Yuma says, and he leans over and kisses Astral. It’s so quick, barely even enough for him to count it as a kiss. It’s more like a whisper, fleeting and soft, a fraction of the meaning it could have had, and Yuma wonders if he imagined it. But the way Astral looks at him, shocked and pleased at the same time, tells Yuma that he did indeed just kiss Astral.

Something hits Yuma’s head and he yelps. It was Shark’s shoe, and it’s now lying in Yuma’s lap.

“Hey, what gives?” Yuma asks, leaping to his feet and flinging the shoe back. “Rude, much?!”

Shark scowls. “We’re here to save a world, not watch you and Astral make out.”

Behind him, Kotori is blushing like a manic, and Vector is smirking. The rest of the group seems to be in a bit of a shock.

Yuma rolls his eyes. “Well then don’t watch, _duh.”_

Rio laughs, Shark shoves his foot back in his shoe, and Vector ruins the moment in the best way he knows how.

“I’ve been trying to destroy this place for centuries, so how’s about a tour of the place, yeah?”

“I think he’s more a piece of work than I am,” Astral says.

“You’re probably right,” Yuma says. “Okay, so how do we save the world this time?”

“Same way we always have,” Astral says. He holds out his hand, and Yuma takes hold of it. He hauls Astral to his feet, a familiar feeling enveloping him, and the next thing he knows he’s flying through the air, and colliding with Astral to make something new, powerful, and beautiful.

 

Zexal has always been a funny thing. Yuma’s in control, but he’s not. He can see through his own eyes, but he’s wandering through a maze at the same time—a maze of glowing, blue walls. They remind him of the glow of Astral’s skin. So it’s like he’s walking through Astral’s skin, which is creepy and kind of gross.

“Astral?”

“I’m here.”

He appears before Yuma’s eyes. At the same time, Zexal is yelling at Vector to get out of the way before he gets hurt. Yuma is angry at this darkness for threatening Astral’s home, he’s worried about his friends, and yet he’s also strangely calm.

Yuma reaches for Astral, and Astral takes his hand. This is a place of unity, where there are no secrets between them.

“It didn’t hurt as bad, this time.”

“What didn’t?” Astral asks, his thumb rubbing across Yuma’s knuckles.

“You leaving.”

Astral flinches. “I’m sorry.”

“You were a jerk about it. Making me duel you, taking the numbers, holding Barian world over me.”

“You showed me that you grew up. That I could count on you in the future. That you could come through, no matter what. That you could face me, if I went against your beliefs.” Astral’s face twists. “That’s the worst that can happen to you. Someone you trust, turning against what you believe in.”

“Eliphas?” Yuma asks.

“You faced him for me,” Astral says. “I’m not sure I could have done what you did.”

“You were still a jerk,” Yuma says.

“I’m sorry,” Astral says again.

Zexal uses their body to shield Kotori. Lightning stings, for sure, but in the maze, Yuma feels no pain in his own body.

“This always feels so weird,” Yuma says.

Astral nods. “Zexal is supposed to be a weapon, used in dire times. But sometimes…I find myself wondering what it would be like, if we weren’t under attack.”

“But we formed Zexal anyway?” Yuma clarifies.

Astral nods. “I never thought I would say such a thing. I blame you for it.”

“I accept,” Yuma says.

Astral tugs on Yuma’s hand, and leads him to a wall that looks just like any other.

“What’s this about?” Yuma asks.

Astral nods at the wall. “Look.”

Yuma looks, and he sees himself. But something is off. Yuma doesn’t look like that, does he? This image is too…he looks older, and more thoughtful, almost. There’s still evidence of the Yuma who accepts dumb challenges, who whines to his older sister, and who can barely make it out the door on time for school. But there’s a shadow of a new Yuma, one who, at the moment, Yuma doesn’t recognize.

“It’s really you,” Astral says. “Yuma, you look at yourself all the time, but do you really see yourself?”

“Is this really the moment to be cryptic?” Yuma asks.

The image on the wall changes. There are black clouds behind Yuma’s head, and there are stars on his face and in his hair. His eyes are soft with an emotion he recognizes all too well.

“And then you kissed me,” Astral says quietly.

Yuma’s eyes widen. “Is this…is this what you saw?”

“Yes,” Astral says.

“I don’t look like that,” Yuma says.

“Like I said, you don’t see yourself,” Astral says. “You do indeed look like that.”

That Yuma is one who nearly lost everything, but who got it back. Most of it, anyway. He looks…

“Astral, I don’t want to grow up,” Yuma says, his throat tight with tears.

“Why not?” Astral asks.

“I’m scared.”

“You?” Astral asks, his tone soft, “Must be pretty serious, then.”

Yuma laughs, and he feels tears on his cheeks. “I…I don’t want to lose who I am.”

“Ah, I see,” Astral says. He stands behind Yuma, and wraps his arms around Yuma’s chest. He rests his chin on Yuma’s shoulder, and speaks quietly. “Tell me, why did you kiss me?”

“Because I love you,” Yuma says, no hesitation.

“You love a lot of people,” Astral says. “You don’t kiss them.”

“No,” Yuma admits. “But I wanted to kiss you. Because I love you differently.”

“When did you realize it?” Astral asks.

“When you left, after we beat 96,” Yuma says. “I had lost my parents, and it felt a little like that, but it was different, too. I was so angry. I wished…there were days I wished I had never met you. Where I wanted to forget you, because I couldn’t stand how hurt I was. It was never like that for my parents. I just missed them, so much, and I just wanted them back. It scared me, that I was willing to throw you away. But then I realized I could never truly allow that to happen. And I realized that I was so angry because…because I lost out on more than what we had, it was what could have been. I was mad at myself. I hated myself. And then when I got you back…I should have told you. But I made excuses. And you left again.”

“And now?” Astral asks. “What makes now so different?”

Yuma places his hands over Astral’s. “I guess I’m tired of making excuses, and I know that I can tell you anything.”

Astral hums. “That’s a very grown up thing to feel, Yuma. Not many people your age would be so honest with themselves.”

“Not many people my age have been through what I have,” Yuma says.

“And that’s why you are so afraid of growing up,” Astral says. “Don’t you see? You’re afraid of letting your past control you, make you wary of being hurt. You’re afraid that growing up will hold you back. But it’s already happening Yuma. You’re growing up, you have grown up, I can see it. But you know something? I still see you. You can grow up, because growing up doesn’t mean you grow out of yourself. You’ll always be Yuma, and you’ll always have the freedom to decide what that means to you. You can take dumb dares for the rest of your life, you can be as cheeky as you want, but you can also be strong, and caring, and honest about what you want.”

Yuma shivers. He puts his hands over his face, feeling like he’s seconds away from tears.

Astral rubs his hands up and down Yuma’s arms. “What do you want, Yuma?”

Yuma turns and throws his arms around Astral’s neck. “Promise me,” he says, his tone full of fire, “Promise me this time, that you’ll be there for me.”

Astral holds Yuma. “I promise.”

“No more months of silence?”

“No more.”

“No taking off without telling me?”

“I won’t.”

Yuma inhales deeply. “And I want you to be honest with me.”

“When have I not been?” Astral asks.

Yuma leans back. “Do you love me?”

Astral smiles. “How could I not?”

“The way I love you,” Yuma clarifies.

Astral laughs. “I do,” he says. “I love you, Yuma.”

Yuma finally feels like he can relax, and just be happy. He places his hand on Astral’s cheek. “You’re still kind of annoying.”

“You’re still a bit of a fool,” Astral returns. “Not that I would have it any other way.”

“Good to know,” Yuma says. “Astral, can I kiss you again?”

Astral nods. “I would like that, I think.”

Yuma leans forward, closing his eyes. It’s only his second kiss in his life, and he’s still not sure the first one really counted, but this one, it definitely does. Astral’s lips are warm, and soft. Yuma remembers rubbing the petals of a flower between his fingers, and decides that that’s what Astral’s lips remind him of—flower petals. They have that kind of softness that can only come from something fragile and beautiful. And Astral is beautiful, but fragile? No, never.

Yuma leans back to breathe, then he goes right back to Astral for another kiss.

Some kind of wonderful feeling swallows Yuma. He’s fully prepared to drown in it, whatever it is, because it’s glorious, and it’s because of Astral. So yes, Yuma can drown in the feeling and live in the moment forever, and he really would, except then he opens his eyes.

No, they open their eyes.

Yuma’s no longer got double vision. All he sees is the black sky in front of him, and Astral is nowhere to be found. Or is he?

‘I’m here.’

Their hands stretch out, their eyes stare incredulously.

“What is this?” They ask outloud.

‘This is true Zexal,’ says a voice inside their head. ‘Yuma, we are truly one. There is no you or I, in this moment. We are acting together. And we need to act fast.’

They lift their head. A bolt of lightning is heading straight for them, and they lift their hand and block it with a burst of light.

“Alright!” They cheer. “Let’s do this!”

 

They don’t separate until after they’ve defeated the evil that’s trying to destroy Astral world. It takes a week, a week in which they are one every moment of every day. Even when they sleep, they stay together. It’s nice, after being apart for some time, to be together like this.

And when Yuma returns to earth with his friends, he’s not alone.

Astral floats by Yuma’s side, listening as Yuma chatters away about the upcoming High School entrance exam.

“You can’t give me the answers, alright?” Yuma tells him, “No matter how much I whine at you.”

“I hope you won’t whine at me during a test,” Astral says, “Seeing as you would look quite strange.”

Yuma is still the only one who can see Astral, but Astral now has real, physical mass. Though others can’t see him, they can still bump into him, and he can no longer move through solid objects. It’s caused a few little incidents, but it hasn’t been anything they can’t handle.

And every now and then, Astral has to go home for a little while, so he can rest and regain his energy. Sometimes Yuma wakes up in the middle of the night, aware of a sudden change in his room, and he realizes that Astral is gone. He rolls over and goes back to sleep, knowing that it’s not forever, Astral will be back. And most times, it’s quickly. Yuma will be sitting on the roof the very next night, looking up at the stars, and he’ll notice that he’s not alone anymore.

“How’s Astral world?” Yuma will ask.

“Much the same,” Astral will answer. “Safe, and healing.”

 

One night when they’re sitting on the roof, Astral asks, “What will you study, later in life?”

Yuma has begun to think about that. He’s at the age where people tell him to start thinking about it, or at least his teachers are. His parents tell him to take his time, because he’s done a lot already, and they want him to love what he does.

Yuma lies on his back and gazes at the heavens. “I considered Astronomy, but I’m not sure I could keep from blabbing all the secrets of space.”

“What else have you thought about?” Astral presses, poking Yuma’s arm.

Yuma swats at him. “Archaeology, like my parents. They said I could come on a dig with them, after I finish this year of high school. Maybe I won’t come back. Maybe I’ll stay in South America, or Africa, or wherever they are at that point, and I’ll just explore for a while.”

“Sounds like quite an adventure.”

Yuma rolls on his side and looks up at Astral. “You’ll come with me, won’t you?”

Astral smiles and runs his fingers through Yuma’s hair. “Of course I will.”

Yuma catches Astral’s hand and kisses it. “What if I want to go to Astral world with you someday?”

“I would love to show you my world as you have shown me yours,” Astral says.

Yuma smiles and rests his head on Astral’s thigh. “Which is more your home now, Astral world or Earth? You’ve spent an equal amount of time on both by this point, haven’t you?”

“Time doesn’t dictate home,” Astral says. “My home is wherever you are.”

Yuma’s face heats up. “You are too cheesy.”

“I can tell you liked it.”

Yuma smiles. “I never said I didn’t.”

Astral leans down and kisses one of Yuma’s blushing cheeks. “That’s true.”

Yuma rises and plops himself back down on Astral’s legs. Astral grunts, but merely adjusts Yuma’s weight so he sits more comfortably. Yuma leans against Astral’s chest and the two of them stare at the sky together.

“Maybe we can explore out there,” Yuma says.

“The universe?” Astral asks.

Yuma nods. “Maybe we can just form Zexal, and stay that way. We can go from star to star, meet new people, collect information on all the worlds out there.”

“Wouldn’t you miss your family?” Astral asks.

“I didn’t say it would be now,” Yuma says. “Or even soon. But maybe…”

“Someday,” Astral finishes. “I suppose you never know. It could happen.”

But no one really knows what the future holds. Still, as long as Yuma’s got Astral, he’s not scared of the future. If anything, he can’t wait for it.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my 50th story on this site (!!!) and I really, really wanted to do something for the OTP that I am utter trash for.


End file.
